January 16, 1929 – June 15, 2026
Please pray for the repose of the soul of Sister Rosalind Gefre, CSJ, who died peacefully on June 15, 2026 in St. Paul. She was a friend, colleague, food service worker, Bethany aide, LPN, founder of Massage and Wellness Centers, Massage Schools and Clinics, provider of massage therapy at the St. Paul Saints baseball games, skydiver (once) and a strong follower of Jesus’ example that “through touch the body, mind and spirit are healed”.
Sister Rosalind was born Margaret Mary on January 16, 1929, to Elizabeth Zacher and Carl Gefre at Hague, North Dakota. She entered the novitiate on February 2, 1948, and professed final vows on August 15, 1953.
The eighth of thirteen children raised on the rural plains of North Dakota during the Great Depression, young Margaret learned early the values of resilience, responsibility, and faith. After losing her father at age six, she and her siblings tended the land and livestock while walking a mile each way to attend a one-room schoolhouse. Inspired by the Sisters of Service that came each summer to teach religion, 10-year-old Margaret decided she wanted to become “a sister and a saint.”
She completed her high school equivalency exam and completed a degree in Licensed Practical Nursing from the Hastings School of Nursing (Hastings, Minnesota). She spent 20 years of service in various convent kitchens before returning to school to pursue education in nursing. After she graduated from nursing school, she practiced nursing at St. John’s Hospital in Fargo, North Dakota.
Sister Rosalind’s first introduction to therapeutic massage came in the early 1970s when she was caring for her dying mother. She discovered the power of healing touch as she witnessed her mother’s relief during a massage, setting her on a path that would guide her for the rest of her life. She studied reflexology and took hands-on massage training. In 1973, she completed 600 hours of massage therapy coursework from the Dakota Anderson School of Scientific Massage (Princeton, Illinois). She had more than 1,000 hours of training from various institutions across the country. She passed the North Dakota Massage Therapist state board exam and stated working at the YMCA in Fargo.
In 1983, she moved back to St. Paul and started her own practice. She learned that the City of St. Paul ordinances regarding massage therapy were outdated, so she worked to get them updated so that she could operate her business. She was an active member of the American Massage Therapy Association and the Minnesota Therapeutic Massage Network. She was chosen as the recipient of the 1986 Health Citizen of the Year Achievement Award. In 1984, she opened her first school of Professional Massage in St. Paul, and, in 1995, expanded to Rochester, Minnesota. The massage centers she operated provide training and placement for graduates of the schools. Her schools are accredited by appropriate agencies.
In May 1989, Sister Rosalind was among a group of specialists invited by the China Association for Science and Technology to share their expertise on massage with the Chinese medical community. The group, called the People to People Massage Therapy Delegation, was the first invited to tour the People’s Republic of China. Sister Rosalind was nationally recognized as a pioneer in the art of therapeutic massage. The Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal recognized her as one of the Twin Cities’ leading women in business, and in 2005 and 2008 she received St. Paul’s “Woman Changemaker” Award.
Until she retired, she spent much of her time at various speaking engagements promoting massage and educating the public. She and her staff have provided on-site massage for various organizations including the St. Paul Saints Baseball Team, which honored her with a bobblehead figure.
Sister Rosalind was best known for her lavish greetings, often accompanied by a kiss on the hand, an intentional hug, and a warm smile. Through it all, Sister Rosalind remained grateful and deeply faithful to God for the call to be a Sister of St. Joseph and the call to be a minister of healing touch.
Sister Rosalind is preceded in death by her parents; her sisters Catherine, Maggie, Caroline, Rose, and Bernice; her brothers Adam, John, Peter, Markus, and Lawrence. She is survived by her sisters Angeline and Rose, dear friends, and the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Tuesday, June 23, 2026, at 11:00 a.m. at Lumen Christi Catholic Community, 2055 Bohland Ave., St. Paul. Mass will be livestreamed here.
Memorials in her honor preferred to the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet, St. Paul Province Retirement Fund.
Dear Rosalind, rest in love and peace.